Woman accused of leaving newborn to die inside room

Mother arrested, accused of leaving newborn to die in room

A woman was arrested in Seattle for second-degree murder after investigators say she left her own five-day-old baby to die in her room.

SEATTLE - A woman was arrested in Seattle for second-degree murder after investigators say she killed her own five-day-old baby by leaving the newborn to die in her room.

Ashlee M. Creighton, 33, is accused of knowingly exposing her baby to meth and fentanyl, while also neglecting the child days after giving birth, and then claiming it was a stillbirth.

The King County Medical Examiner said Creighton's baby died from drug exposure and malnutrition.

Seattle Police initially arrested Creighton on May 25 after officers found a dead baby in her room at a temporary housing facility. She was taken to a local hospital, and officers searched her room to investigate.

Prosecutors say Creighton left her newborn in the room for days, despite having access to resources and multiple people urging her to provide the baby with medical attention.

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Court documents claim Creighton's room was a mess, scattered with drug paraphernalia, and there were signs that she knew her child was not well days before its death. She also allegedly searched the terms "breast feeding baby born addicted" and "WA State law on hospital reporting to CPS" online.

Creghton was not charged in her second court appearance, though prosecutors were seeking a second-degree criminal mistreatment charge.

After gathering additional evidence, there was probable cause to rearrest Creighton on Wednesday and charge her with second-degree murder.

Police said as they attempted to locate Creighton, she dropped down from the balcony to the room below her and began hiding. She was eventually arrested, and a man who helped her was also arrested for rendering criminal assistance.

Creighton is being held on a $300,000 bond. Prosecutors add that she has open cases for reckless endangerment and DUI out of Snohomish County.